HOW TO GROW YOUR BLOG BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

I get asked often about how to grow a blog. Either people wan't to know how to make it happen quick (I honestly don't think there is a "quick" way to do it) or they think its some extremely long and impossible process. Well that's not the case either. Besides consistency, what helped me grow this blog of mine is by building relationships with other bloggers and business owners. I promise its not hard and it definitely isn't awkward!

1. Be natural! Yes there are plenty of bloggers that I completely STAN out for but no one likes a kiss a** or a fake. Just be yourself and let the relationship building come natural.

2. Share others posts. Sharing is caring and even a simple retweet means a lot to most bloggers. If you come across a post that you love or think your followers would enjoy, tweet it! It takes all of two minutes. If you show love others will be begin to show you love.

3. Leave genuine comments on other blogs. I don't know about ya'll but I smile so hard every time I get a new comment notification. And some of my best blogging friends I've made have come from leaving comments on each others blogs. I must express the importance of being genuine. Its so obvious when you don't take the time to read the post and just leave "fluff" for the comment. And whatever you do, DO NOT comment on someones post just to promote yourself. Huge NO-NO!

4. Don't be afraid to reach out. Whether its sending out a quick "Hey Girl" email or inviting a near by blogger out for lunch or coffee, don't be afraid to take that first step and put yourself out there. (If you are in NC holla at me!) Now don't get upset if someone can't meet with you, we all have super busy schedules outside of blogging so don't take it hard.

5. Utilize Twitter! If you're not using twitter to connect with other folks in your niche then you are seriously missing out! I have "met" and connected with so many different bloggers and business owners just because of an exchange of tweets. And don't feel like you are pressured to talk solely about blogging. If you see someone talking about their favorite show that you just so happen to watch, feel free to chime in on the convo. Not that you have to share all of your business but building relationships should go beyond the blogging world.

And there you have it! No math and no unnecessary awkwardness goes into building relationships. Stay consistent and genuine and you'll begin to see your community grow.